that we've ever done it. >> and you'd never done marijuana before? >> yeah, i have. >> and you've never had this reaction to it before? >> no, never. what's the score on the red wings game? >> what? >> what's the score on the red wings game? >> i've got no clue. i don't watch the red wings. >> so you got to give it to the 911 operators. nay have to keep calm during life and death situations, help people in their darkest hours, and they also have to answer calls from people baked out of their minds on pot brownies who want to know hockey scores. it's a tall order, and sometimes a high one. we'll see you one hour from now. "piers morgan tonight" starts now. tonight, sex -- >> there are a lot of myths about gay people. >> love. >> i dated great people. >> and asics. >> oh! >> "sex and the city"'s cynthia nixon defending gay marriage and taking on mitt romney and the right. >> i don't think we've seen an

attack on women's health like this in the last 40 years. >> also, jennifer love hewitt's racy new role, a sultry suburban mom. tonight she talks love, fame, her figure and her scandalous billboards. plus anyone for tennis? serena williams like you've never seen her before in the olympics, her emotions, her men, and heartbreak. >> i think that's tough to be in love, and then it, you know, it might not work out. and that's life. >> and talking of heartbreak, only in america special, serena and i hit the court with the wimbledon champ in for a bit of a nasty surprise. this is "piers morgan tonight." good evening. our big story the race for the white house kicks off probably tomorrow when president obama's re-election campaign launches in ohio. it's a crucial battleground state for him and mitt romney. social issues are front and center in the fight and tonight we have the feisty cynthia nixon

as she slams romney on same-sex marriage and abortion. but she also has strong words for the president. also risky business for jennifer love hewitt. "the client list" offering more than the odd massage to making ends meet. we'll ask her about that controversial role and the uproar over a certain poster campaign. >> living in l.a. for a really long time i thought the idea was always to have bigger boobs. >> yes! >> not smaller. it's quite shocking. >> and then match point, serena williams, my candid interview from a spectacular court inside grand central terminal. we talk tennis, her temper, and why she claims she'll never date again. then, it's game on in a match that serena may want to forget. >> yes! oh, yes! cynthia nixon is best known for

her role as miranda holmes on "sex and the city." but earlier this week she received a tony nomination for her role on broadway. congratulations. >> thank you so much. >> you haven't had a few awards. two emmys, two s.a.g.s, a grammy, now a tony maybe heading your way. >> i have one from before. >> you do? >> yes, i have one from before. yeah. >> anything you haven't won? >> no oscar. no heisman. >> it's a great role that you play in "win." it's incredibly powerful role. onstage you're completely bold, you play a cancer victim who dies. you're naked onstage. it's very raw, and visceral, isn't it? and the parallel with your life and your family, in fact, because you're a mother three times. >> three times. but she's still with us. almost 82. >> amazing. you had this battle with cancer in 2006. tell me how much of your battle with it did you bring to the role? does it actually work like that?

>> it can work like that. but very to say that my -- you know you call it a battle with cancer. to me that seems such a big word. i mean, i feel like i had a cancer diagnosis. i had a very small operation. i went through some radiation, and then i was on a particular pill for five years. to me it's not a battle. to me it was like a medical bump in the road that is not fun, you know, but you kind of grit your teeth and you get through it. >> scary, though. >> it's scary. but having had my mother go through it, you know, at that point a couple of times previous, and i saw how well she dealt with it. no, to me, i didn't, other than my experience of being in the hospital, i didn't draw on anything. i really up know i had some friends who've died of cancer and i've had some friends who died of aids. so i called on those things much more, and also strangely childbirth.

>> really? >> there is a point later on in the play where my character vivian is in incredible, incredible pain and my only experience of being in incredible pain was childbirth. >> "the new york times" described your performance as large and lucid and delicate. great phrase, i thought. >> yeah. >> you must be very proud of the plaudits you're getting now that the tony nomination. >> yes, i mean it's an amazing role. to be given. and it's such a big canvas as an actor to paint on. and also, but you get through it -- you know, she has so much time onstage where she's hilariously funny. like, bringing down the house kind of laughs. and so, even though it takes an enormous amount of energy and focus, you get fed so much by that audience response. it really -- it energizes you. >> talking of energizing things you've been quite active on the political front. play a little clip from a promotional ad you've done for president obama. >> 2011, times were tough.

recession. joblessness. so many of us struggling to make ends meet. but for women, times were about to get a lot tougher. >> the time has come to deny any and all federal funding to planned parenthood of america. >> support of the amendment to remove taxpayer dollars from planned parenthood. >> we remember who turned their backs on us, and who voted to keep us healthy. november is just around the corner. soon, it will be our turn to vote. >> i mean a pretty clear message from that was, look, you know, if you're a woman, and you're thinking you're going to vote in november you should be voting for president obama, not the republicans. >> absolutely. certainly not mitt romney. certainly not mitt romney. >> you think he's anti-women, mitt romney? >> that's a very strong thing to say. but i think he doesn't have a sense of -- of women's health, and i think particularly women living in poverty, about how difficult it is to have access

to not just contraceptive health care but general health care. and i think that president obama said recently, he said women aren't a special interest group, they're more than half of the population. and it's not like women are children. you know. women are half the population, and they know how to take care of themselves if they're only given access to health care. we shouldn't be making these decisions for them, we should let women make their decisions for themselves. >> right. i mean, were you a bit staggered like many people by the way the republican race went in rhetoric about women's issues? >> absolutely. i don't think we've seen an attack on women's health like this in the last 40 years. yeah, i mean, i think these people certainly are -- they're -- we know they're anti-abortion, but they're also anti-contraception. but i think this attack on planned parenthood, you know about 3% of what planned parenthood does is abortions. 97% is women's health. and like right now in texas, rick perry is trying to shut

down and stop all federal funding to planned parenthood. well, 40% of the women living in poverty in texas are served by planned parenthood. that is their primary doctor. so what you're saying then, if you cut all this funding, half of the poor women living in texas have no medical care. >> being dispassionate, has barack obama done enough for women's health issues? i mean, it's obvious the republicans have taken a rather strange look at this. but has he done enough as president? >> you know, there are certain issues on which we can never do enough. >> what would you like to see him being bold? if he's re-elected where do you want to see a bit more grit? >> well, i certainly would like to see a bit more grit in terms of gay issues, in terms of lgbt issues. i had certainly, he had said repeatedly that he'll repeal the defense of marriage act and i think that that is something whose time has come. that is overdue. >> do you think it would be quite nice to see the president now with eight states legalizing gay marriage, given the clear

bandwagon heading that way, quite a moment for the president of the united states to stand there and say, i support gay marriage. do you think he's going to do that? >> i don't know if he's going to do that. and that would be certainly an amazing thing if he would do that. and i would applaud and i think people all over this country would applaud. but, the thing that i really want from him is the repeal of the defense of marriage act which he has said is unconstitutional. and i think that that is something that is very in his control, and that's -- that's, for me, that's his task. >> you are engaged to be married. >> yes. >> now you were with the man for a long time. >> for 15 years. we have two children together. >> yes. and now you're going to be marrying a woman. >> yes. >> that's great interest as you'd expect. you said this which i thought was fascinating. the fight for gay marriage is often portrayed in political terms, democrat versus republican, liberal versus conservative, but for couples like us, this is about something simpler and more personal. i want to be married to my girlfriend. i want us to have a ceremony. i want all our friends and

family to come. i want our kids to be there just like that historic night last march, i want it to be a moment i will always remember till death do us part. i like that. >> thank you. >> it kind of took all of the politics and the stigma away from it and said i just want to do what other people do. >> certainly it is a political issue. but, when you break down why gay people want to get married to each other, they want to get married for the same reasons that anybody wants to get married. they want to celebrate their love. they want to make a lifelong commitment. they want to gather their friends and family around them, and say this is the person i'm going to be with us for the rest of my life. >> how have you found all the scrutiny on your life? because you've been, i think, quite brave in the stuff that you've said. >> it's not been so bad. >> you've caught a little bit of flak but a lot of praise, too. it's one of those things, isn't it, where you put your head over the parapet, did you expect what was coming your way? >> you know, when news of christine's and my relationship broke there was this tremendous, you know, we were on the cover

of two new york daily newspapers. she had, her parents who live on a little island off of seattle had british journalists and suvs on their lawn. i mean, it was -- it was a wild explosion. but, there was not really too much to say, and so it sort of came and went pretty quickly. it -- the flame burned very high, and then it pretty much, been kind of a slow ember since then. >> when you look at the debate, and i've had a lot of people in here, we've had kirk cameron famously came in here and said some pretty outrageous things i felt, using christianity as an excuse, how do you wrestle with people who've got religious convictions about it? >> well, you know, i think that the thing is that gay people, that there are a lot of myths about gay people. that they're sick, or they're -- they prey on children, or they're harmful to children or they're causing the destruction of traditional, straight

marriage. and i think, as people personally and on television and all these reading the newspaper come to see more and more gay families, and gay couples, i think that these myths are disappearing one by one, which is great. and now we have a whole generation of children, you know, they say that there are 2 million children living in the united states who have been raised by gay couples. >> i had one of the leading, zack wolf came in who is an extraordinary young man and he had both his mums sitting in the audience, which i thought was great. as he said, kim kardashian's marriage lasted, i don't know, however many hours it was and he listed a whole lot in his book, i thought it was a smart point to make. >> yes. >> that actually it's respecting the sanctity of marriage is much more important i think. are you as happy as you've ever been? >> i am definitely as happy as i've ever been. happier than i've ever been, so yeah. >> life is pretty good for you? >> life is pretty good. >> i can't let you go without a quick mention of "sex and the

city." let's take a little watch of you in action. this is great. >> so this is a big apartment to buy for just you. >> i have a lot of shoes. >> oh. maybe the boyfriend will move in? >> no, no boyfriend. just me. >> i have a son who owns his own business. >> no thanks. i'll take it. >> i love that character. >> yeah. she's great. >> have you seen girls? >> i haven't. but i want to very much. it sounds amazing. >> everyjuan says it's the new "sex and the city." it's getting attraction. >> it sounds amazing. >> what do you think sex and the city gave american women? what would you like its legacy to be to american women, do you think? >> i think that sex and the city showed that it was okay to be single. even if you were in your 30s. even if you were in your 40s.

even if you were going to be single for the rest of your life, that that didn't mean you were sitting at home pining by the phone, hoping that somebody would call, that you could have a rich, full life. you could have a rich, full, sex life. you could have fun and adventures and work and great friends, and just because you didn't have a ring on your finger didn't mean that you weren't happy. >> and are you living proof that it can all come crashing to glorious utopia. >> yes, yes. >> star of broadway. blissfully happy in your life. the tony awards are on june the 10th 2012. it's been a real pleasure. >> for me, too. >> i hope you win. >> thank you. >> good luck. >> coming up my interview with the woman who is hitting up "the client list" jennifer love hewitt. a party?

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so, six months? >> yeah. >> so we can spend pretty much every minute together? >> right. see, exactly. >> i can fall even more in love with you. >> you could. >> yeah, and then it'll hurt that much more when you leave. >> jennifer love hewitt. taking hollywood by storm in the '90s when she joined the beloved cast of "party of five." since then she's been working consistently in movies and television and starring in what i have to admit is my guilty pleasure lifetime's "the client

list." welcome. >> thank you. >> who would have thought that fresh faced little girl would become my guilty pleasure. >> i'm happy to be your guilty pleasure. >> i watched the movie, which i didn't realize was entirely your creation. >> it was. >> you came up with it, you produced the thing. starred in it. >> it's been almost six years since i sort of, you know, started coming up with the idea and my manager and i and it's just been great to sort of see it unfold. it's great. >> what was the concept? i know obviously what you do in the movie was, now the series. why did you want to do this? >> there were a lot of articles being written about, you know, single moms sort of economic hardship, and sort of how they were supporting their families, and the idea that a lot of women were having to help their husbands make money for the family and everything, and so we just thought it would be a really interesting idea for sort of an ex-beauty queen in texas with these two kids to sort of find herself in this situation and people liked it so far. >> who likes it? is it watched more by men or women? >> it's pretty even, actually.

i mean, we've been able to get a lot of guys to come and watch lifetime, which is nice. i'm excited about that. but you know, women love it because it's very oddly empowering for them. and there's lots of abs on the show. they're really enjoying that part of it. >> it comes at a time when there's this book "fifty shades of grey" which every woman is reading this thing. >> yes. >> and you know about this phenomenon. >> i just got my copy. i haven't read it yet. >> the premise seems to be that women get more turned on by the written word. >> yes. >> and men are more turned on by the visual. >> yes. >> is that basically what this is all about? >> yes, i think so. i think that we like to hear things. we like, even in conversation, we like, if we ask you how your day is, we want a long, hour-long example of how your day was. men are like, how was your day, great? are you wearing a bra? fantastic. you know what i mean? that is how we work. so i think the "fifty shades of grey" thing is it's a real turn john to have the sexy words.

>> you gave me a brilliant way in to the next part of this interview which is your recent appearance on jimmy kimmel because to tee this up, the promotional material for client list to put it mildly was a bit eye-popping >> yes. >> so eye-popping that they had to remove the original posters because too many cars were crashing with men all over america driving straight into lamp posts, and replaced it with a more measured poster. >> yes. >> jimmy kimmel decided to save a particular piece of the original for you. a little treasure. let's watch this. >> i feel like i'm going to be a little sad now when they take them down. it's been nice to be on billboards. >> we were all sad about it. they took the big one down across the street. >> i know. so soon. >> we're considering filing suit actually. i have a little surprise for you. >> what is it? >> we saw that they were taking it down. >> okay. >> and were able to -- guillermo come on in here. were able to actually take one part of the -- we were able to get one square.

>> no! so there's -- i don't know if you want to -- >> no. >> don't know if you want this for your home. >> that was brilliant television. >> it was great. >> it also gave some idea of the sheer gigantic scale of that poster. >> i mean, massive. there was nothing more terrifying in my whole life than turning around and seeing them look like that. >> we have actually lined up the two posters here. so let's have a look at what all the fuss was about. i couldn't really see what was wrong with the original one on the left. the one on the right is just a little bit, well, a little bit boring by comparison. >> i think so. i think so. i mean, you know, living in l.a. for a really long time i thought the idea was always to have bigger boobs, not smaller. >> yes! >> it's very shocking to know -- and to not know who was messing around with them for me has been really odd. >> who did that? >> what person decided you know what? those need to be smaller so i'm just going to --

>> you were the first actress in hollywood to have a boob reduction. >> i know. >> without any involvement. >> it's very strange. but i did keep the poster from jimmy. they're in my home. >> you must have a big house. where have you put them? >> i haven't decided exactly where they're going to go yet. >> now your middle name really is love. >> yes. >> apparently your friends and fan family all call you love. >> they do. >> when we come back, i want to talk to you about love. >> okay. >> because you have a checkered relationship with love. >> yes. >> do you think true love is out there, jennifer? >> i think so. >> waiting to lure your in. >> at some point, hopefully. >> let's discuss after the break. >> okay. zap technology. arrival. with hertz gold plus rewards, you skip the counters, the lines, and the paperwork. zap. it's our fastest and easiest way to get you into your car. it's just another way you'll be traveling at the speed of hertz.

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hey, baby. >> kyle. >> what are you doing here, baby? breaking our vows? huh? >> you left me. it was the only way i could make enough money. >> take it off. huh-uh. the ring. take it off. >> jennifer love hewitt returning to tv with "the client list" a hit new show on lifetime, 10:00 on sundays. it's pretty racy there. >> it does, right? saucy. >> let talk about you. you came to hollywood three decades ago. >> yeah, wow.

>> you should look older, after being here three decades ago. >> thank you. >> what is hollywood like? >> i think it's a great place. it's been great to me. i've been able to live my dreams and met really amazing people and i had a pretty good time. i understand that other people have had different, you know, different realities here. but for me it's been pretty great. i've really enjoyed it. i feel really lucky to get to be here. >> have you ever been lured into the hollywood temptations that bring so many of your peer group crashing to the ground? >> no. i mean, i've worked a lot so i'm always really sleepy. so, i prefer to just go home and go to sleep. no, i've been really lucky. i mean i've had a really close relationship with my mom and my family has been very active in my life. and so, i've never really had the time to sort of, go and get in trouble. so to speak. so you know, it's been a pretty innocent time here for me. >> do you have sympathy for those who do? >> i do. >> the lindsay lohans and all those guys. >> i do. >> it seems to me there is a real pressure that goes with,

particularly young actresses. >> there is. >> about the obsession, you've had this, obsession with the way you look, you know, your weight going up and down and so on. it's not easy for a woman. >> it isn't. >> to be a famous person in hollywood. >> no, mentally it's challenging and it takes a lot of work day in and day out to sort of stay on the right course. and i do feel bad. you know, i was lucky enough to come here before there was sort of all of the guys jumping out of the bushes, and you know, taking pictures or luring you in to night clubs so then they could take a picture of you falling down afterwards. that was not my reality here initially. and i do feel a lot of sympathy for the young girls who don't know how to sort of stay out of -- out of that situation. >> what about this whole obsession with size zero? skinnyness. >> it's hard. i've definitely gone to events, and they've served me like chicken and then i've gone to eat it and you can hear like other women at the table, they'll be like, oh, is she going to eat that chicken? i'm like, it's a piece of chicken. of course i'm going to eat it. i'm starving. you know, but it's a really weird thing. it's very strange. >> you're in such terrible shape at the moment.

>> oh, thank you. >> you can tell, that you're appearing on the cover of "passion up" magazine. and coincidentally we have a picture. >> oh, great. >> there you are. looking really quite rough, i would say. >> thank you. >> you've really lost -- >> i need -- >> do you like doing it? >> i like it because when i'm 80 i'm going to want proof that i had it one day and i will have lots of proof. so that i'm excited about. >> let's turn to your love life. >> okay. >> which i described as checkered. in the break you said checkered is a wonderful way of putting it. >> i loved it. >> checkered i guess means that the path to true love is never easy. >> yes. >> you have found it tricky. >> i have. i have found it very tricky. >> why do you think that is? >> i don't know. i mean, i think some of it's been maybe me not in the right head space, and choosing, you know, not the right person. i think what i've definitely learned over the last few years is that we tend to choose to be with people based on how we feel about ourselves. and there have definitely been times where i think i have maybe not felt as great about myself

as i should, and so i settled for something that wasn't -- wasn't what i needed it to be. i will say that even though it's been checkered, i've dated great people. >> you have. >> that i was rooting for. >> i was going through your client list, carson daly, john mayer. what a run-up. >> they've all been great people and i've made great friends. i feel really good about that. i would like to find real love. >> who is the mr. perfect? you must have worked out slowly but surely the kind of guy you're really looking for. what do you think that person is like? >> i don't know. i'm feeling a bit lost on it at the moment. >> are you? >> yeah. i'm kind of feeling like i have been looking for perfect and it doesn't exist and that's part of the problem. >> if there are men watching this interview thinking, she's single? >> yeah. i am. i'm single. and massaging men. but i've got it pretty good at the moment. it's not too bad. >> in one of the many dreams you have, we always discuss this, do you dream of a wonderful, white

wedding and then having kids and everything else? >> i definitely dream of kids. definitely. the wedding part i don't know. i mean, i don't know that i ever have to be fully married. but i would love to spend my life with someone and kids most definitely. for sure. >> now when i went to see you in the green room earlier you showed me a little -- there's something you do when there's an awkward moment. we've had a few of those in the last two minutes. >> yes, absolutely. >> like quiz you relentlessly. >> when you said it was checkered it was a little awkward. >> when i do that, show me the awkward turtle signal. >> so you do this. and there's no words necessary at that point. you just look at somebody -- >> can you see how that could also in the right place be misconstrued as a mating signal? >> well, sure, i think that would be more like coming at you. >> jennifer, the answer will always be yes. >> thank you. >> i love the "client list" on sundays on lifetime at 10:00 p.m. you're actually outdoing "mad men" i heard.

>> yes. which is very exciting. >> i was going to ask you, it's a sad day for entertainment today. >> yes. >> the death of the beastie boys adam yauch. you knew him, i think. you apeered on -- >> i did, i got to host "snl" and they were the musical guest, beastie boys and it was really great. >> are you a fan of the band? >> i was, yeah, big time. it was a big part of my growing up. i find the news really sad. >> 47 i think. he'd been ill for awhile and died of cancer. it's a sad day, isn't it? >> it is sad. very solid. very sallented. very kind. they were very kind to me when i got to meet them. >> kind beastie boys. nice to remember them. it's been a real pleasure. >> thank you. >> very nice to meet you. >> thank you. >> next the smashing goddess of tennis my surprising and candid interview with serena williams. big question is, can she deal with my serve? [ male announcer ] citi turns 200 this year. in that time there've been some good days.

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i'm here today at the vanderbilt tennis club which is a rare and exotic new location in the middle of grand central station in manhattan in new york. and that's particularly appropriate because i'm here with a rare and exotic talent, in the shapely form of serena williams. serena, welcome to my private little oasis. >> i didn't know you had this. it's lovely, and now that i know we're best friends i'll be here all the time.

>> we're going to have a little duel on this very court. i feel like i've come a little overdressed for the occasion. >> i think you have, too. but that's okay. >> now the reason i'm excited to talk to you right now is because wimbledon is coming up. >> yes. >> which is obviously my local tournament as a london boy. and then we have the olympics. also in london. >> yes. >> and you have never won singles olympic gold medal. >> i have, i've never won the singles olympic gold medal. i have two gold medals in doubles which is really cool. so this time i'll have a chance to go for the singles. hopefully i won't get nervous. >> if i said to you serena you could win your fifth wimbledon title. >> uh-huh. that's not a fair question. >> or you could win your first olympic gold. >> stop. >> which would you take? >> i can't have both? why can't i have both? >> i'll award your one now. >> i'll have to go with wimbledon. but i'll take a gold in doubles at the olympics. how about that. can i do that? >> you can do that. >> okay.

>> you can do that. now someone that we both know, my monger john, said to me, he spoke to you once about tennis and he's never forgotten this. he said that you said that an opponent may win a game against you, may win a set, may win a match, but they'll never beat you. i love that about you. >> wow. >> tell me why you would say something like that? >> well, usually when i play matches, the match is in my hands, and like usually like if i make too many errors i'll beat myself or i'll do that. i have lost a few matches, obviously, that the opponent just outplayed me and just outright played unbelievable. but most of the time the racket is in my hands which is a really good feeling which at the same time, it's in your hands to win it or lose it which can be a lot of pressure. >> you famously trained with your father and your sister, in los angeles, far away from the glamour of manhattan. what i loved about the way that you trained with your dad was that he, to instill a ruthless

winning streak in you girls, he used to hammer tennis balls at you. >> yeah. >> hard and fast. >> yeah. >> and you used to protect yourself with your own rackets. >> mm-hmm. >> tell me about that. >> that was interesting. i think my dad was really innovative coach. i mean even to the way we hit our strokes and stuff, it was definitely something new coming into the tennis scene. and what's interesting about that is it really developed my hands. like i have -- i see the ball so fast. like when i come to the net you can fire a ball at me, i get it back. >> you were doing like to-hour training sessions at the age of 3. you girls. tiger woods used to do the same thing when he was young, his dad used to push him. the critics always say when parents do that, oh, my pushed these kids too hard. they didn't have a childhood and so on. but when you look at the incredible acheechments that you and venus have had, do you miss anything of that childhood that you had to sacrifice? >> you know when you're younger and you see the playground there. you see other things, you see your friends, or peers, going

different places, and it's like, you know, you want to try that or you want to do that and you as a kid you don't know if that's the best thing for you is that moment right now training. and as you get older, you'll -- i think like thank goodness that i was pushed to stay out there, and that i didn't quite, i didn't give up. because it's so worth it. you know, when you're at the olympics or at wimbledon or at you know other tournaments. it's like all that hard work goes in to play. >> when you and venus, and i know when you play seech other in tournaments, and one beats the other one it's always big hugs. love you sis and all that. but when you're playing when no one's watching, one-on-one. >> we never play -- >> i mean, you must be like other brothers and sisters. i mean. >> we never play when no one's watching. i hate playing against her. like sometimes we practice against her and she's amazing to practice against. but then i get competitive a little bit. the other day we were practicing together and i was serving against her. she was hitting winners and i was so mad. >> if you were both at the peak

of your powers, and you could play one set, and the punishment for the loser was that you would have all your limbs cut off. >> you and these questions! >> terrible hypothetical. >> oh, my goodness. >> i want you to imagine the worst case scenario. so you have to win this set. who would win? >> first of all, i definitely think it would be in a tiebreak because we both have amazing serves. both have really good returns. i couldn't say i would lose. >> who's more ruthless when it really comes to it? >> i'm really, really ruthless out on the court but so is venus. i don't know. i can't sit here and say she would win. but i will say i would win. i'm sure if she was sitting here she would win. >> you realize you just sentenced your sister to having all her limbs cut off? >> if it was down to limbs they could take my limbs. she has more going for her. she has a great life. so they can have my limbs so i would lose. >> last time i saw you play for real was at wimbledon, about three years ago. and you were playing i think a quarterfinal game. against a tiny eastern european

waif. it was the single most brutal thing i have ever seen on any sports arena ever. >> now you're making me feel bad. >> you didn't feel bad at the time. >> oh, yeah. >> i was inwardly like i wanted to get on the court and rescue this poor girl. >> oh, no. >> it was a high form of brutality that was going on. >> oh, yeah. >> you just obliterated her. but what i was struck by was that the longer it went on, that just the more ruthless you became. the more in the zone. the louder. the more physically empowering. it was the most impressive thing i've seen in sport for years. what do you feel when you're going through that kind of process, you're in the zone. >> yes. >> and you're winning? what do you experience? >> well, when you're out there, you have to take the winners attitude, as i do, and i can't go out there thinking i'm feeling sorry because they're trying to win, too. and this is my job. my job is to go out there and do the best that i can at that moment in time because you never know what happens tomorrow. for me in that moment, like it's

important for me to continue to get better and not just stay at one level. and that's what i try to do. it's hard. like sometimes i know mentally like i'll play for a little while and i'll go up and i'll drop and i'm just always trying and always working on staying on one level field which is -- which is really not easy, especially if you're playing at such a competitive high, a competitive low. it's really hard to stay in one place. >> who were your heroes or heroines in any sphere of life? historically or now that you really put on a platform? >> well, i think i mean -- i never really got to see him play but i loved mohammed ali. i always watched film of him and how good his feet were, i thought he was really cool. with the olympics coming up my dad always had us watch olympic stories and we were way too young. in particular he had us watch i think it was the '84 olympics but he had recorded it and i guess he saved it. we used to watch carl lewis, jackie joyner-kersee and greg louganis and how he was able to do what he did in the diving

arena, and that's like a story i'll never forget. so that was so inspiring for me as an athlete to look up and to be inspired by that. >> let's take a short break. i want to come back and talk to you about love. >> 40-love? >> not 40-love. this love. this kind of love, serena. >> okay. >> brace yourself. but with advair, i'm breathing better so now i can take the lead on a science adventure. advair is clinically proven to help significantly improve lung function. unlike most copd medications, advair contains both an anti-inflammatory and a long-acting bronchodilator, working together to help improve your lung function all day. advair won't replace fast-acting inhalers for sudden symptoms and should not be used more than twice a day. people with copd taking advair may have a higher chance of pneumonia. advair may increase your risk of osteoporosis and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition

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back with my special guest serena williams. you are a very good tweeter on

twitter. >> thank you. >> you have more followers than me. 2.4 million. which is very annoying, but you do. and you tweet the most fantastic features. because they sort of tell your life as it unravels. >> yes. >> this one, for example, these are your feet after you had this awful illness. and i saw you. >> isn't that crazy? >> in the middle of this. this was the blood clot which became very nasty. tell me about that. >> well, i had that horrible blood clot, which was, you saw me right before that happened. >> i did. >> literally like a day. and you know, that turned my whole world upside down. but anyway, i have to tape my feet when i go out and play and that's what i look like before every match. it's pretty intense. it takes like 20 minutes to do that. >> like an egyptian mummy. >> everything is taped except for like a couple toes. it's totally insane. >> this i love. this is how you have -- isn't that amazing? >> this is your private jet boudoir. >> upgrade. >> that is unbelievable. >> i love that picture. i kind of turned it into my

room. usually i put my computer on the bet and all kinds of stuff. it's very comfortable. travel in comfort. >> now we come to my favorite pictures. because it's like a wet wednesday, especially back in england, it's raining, it's cloudy, i get on twitter, i hope, i wonder if serena has been -- and we get these popping up. >> you know. >> that one, which one i was just hanging out on the beach that day, having fun, and -- >> you wanted to share that with the rest of us? >> yeah. i thought everyone should -- should feel like it's warm. not everybody can have fun in miami. >> this is one as well, serena. >> my friend wanted me to post that. >> okay. so next time i'm burying someone in the sand -- >> would you like to bury me in the sand? >> i will definitely -- >> i'll definitely keep that in mind. >> now, here's the strange thing about you. i look at you, i see this

beautiful woman, 30 years old, and in her absolute prime, looking a million dollars, funny, smart, brilliantly talented, single. how? >> yeah. >> how can you be single? >> you know, i think it has a little bit to do with my career, and you know, just making some decisions that aren't the right. >> you recently tweeted you'll never go out with another man again. >> yeah. >> do you know how many hearts broke all over the world when they read that? >> well, i hope not. >> do you withdraw that tweet? >> no. >> you're not going out with another man again, are you? >> you know, i'm not ready yet. i'm still trying to get over something, you know? so i think that takes time. i just am -- i just can't see myself ever like doing anything. i'm good. yeah. i'm good. i'm in a good space where i'm trying to get -- >> that sounds like a terrible

space. doesn't it? >> it's not a fun space. it's not fun at all. but it's life. life. >> are you a romantic by nature? >> i am. i am a hopeless romantic. i'm too much of a romantic and i get -- i'm really passionate. like when you see me on the court, i'm intense and passionate. that carries on for everything i do, whether it's love or fashion or whatever. so i might be a little bit too intense. >> how many times would you say you have been prop earnly in love if your life? >> probably just once. definitely just once. >> once? >> yeah. one time, and, you know, i think that's tough, to be in love and then it, you know, might not work out. then it's life. there i go again. life. >> you have been through heart break. >> mm-hmm. >> it's bad, isn't it? >> yeah. i mean, i think everyone kind of goes with that. but it definitely is a good feeling. i think having surgery is definitely a lot easier. having a pulmonary embolism is definitely easier than heart

break. >> one more hypothetical. you can only go through the heart break again or you can lose the final of the wimbledon singles tournament this summer. what would you choose? >> i don't want you to put that on me? >> i'm just curious. >> i don't see an end to my career. i see myself continuing anded bying and i feel like my body is super healthy. i feel really good, so i would have to say losing a final at wimbledon. >> as we head towards what's going to be an exciting summer for you, there are two i think thises that you've got. which i normally shamelessly professional things i don't like doing. but these are great. these i didn't know existed. so you go like this, and then it goes completely -- >> i love that you love it. because it's so true. >> for the viewers' point of view, what are they called? >> missions is one of the companies i'm owner of. literally you can put this in

boiling hot water and then you -- when you activate it by doing that, it stays cool on your neck. i love that. >> you have the same problem as me which are these things. >> sleep sheets. >> this could be the problem to my chronic insomnia. >> it's helped me out with plane trips. this is natural sleep sheet, so it has melatonin on it. >> you put it on your tongue. >> it's a dissolvable strip you put on your tongue. it gives you lots of rest. literally, it helps me relax before i -- to go to sleep. so i love it. 's great. >> i'm going to try this. >> i wouldn't try it now because if we're going to play then -- >> you fancy a little game, do you? >> i mean, do you? >> do i? >> you said some fighting words earlier on twitter. we haven't squashed our beef yet. >> i have wanted to squash my beef with you for a long time. are you going to change or is this -- >> i might throw on some nikes. >> get your nikes on. see you back on this court.

serena, it's been a pleasure. but the pleasure sta stops right now. game on. coming up, "only in america" i show serena williams i don't really play tennis. >> this is crazy. i never played with a wooden racket. i'm robert shapiro.

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i'm from britain.

serena is obviously from america. this is a kind of tennis version of the ryder cup. the thing is, she thinks we're using these fancy new racquets that they use these days which is cheating really. so give me that. let's give her those. >> oh, come on. >> billy jean king was tweeting earlier. and when billy jean king won wimbledon, you know, wimbleton champions use real racquets, they use these little babies. what's good enough for billy jean king is going to be good enough for you, serena. >> i have never played with a wood racquet. >> don't want to hear any excuses. ball, please. >> oh, my. you're good! here we go. oh, my god. that was out. there is so heavy. okay. here we go.

>> just to clarify, the four times winner of womenabimbledon doesn't want to play with the racquets. so try my serve. ♪ ♪ took my chances went the distance now i'm back on my feet ♪ >> see? barely across. you can't be serious! that ball was good! >> it was out. definitely out. ♪ don't lose your grip on the dreams of the past ♪ ♪ you must fight just to keep them alive ♪ ♪ it's the eye of the tiger it's the thrill of the fight ♪ >> yes! yes! yes! >> oh, come on. >>!